In the manufacture of gas turbine components, in particular in the manufacture of gas turbine rotors having integral blades, milling is often used as a manufacturing method. A basic distinction is made between what is known as path milling and what is known as plunge milling. In path milling, a milling tool is moved relative to a workpiece that is to be processed, along a tool path or milling path that extends essentially perpendicular to a tool axis or tool vector of the milling tool. In contrast, in plunge milling a milling tool is moved multiple times in succession in the direction of its tool axis or its tool vector, into an area of material that is to be removed, forming milling bores, and is subsequently moved out of this area. The present invention relates to plunge milling.
In plunge milling, each plunge movement of the milling tool must be defined individually. In particular when forming complex contours, the defining of the plunge movements presents difficulties. There is therefore a need for a plunge milling method with which plunge movements for the plunge milling can be generated at a low expense within a short time.